Intellectual disability syndromic and non-syndromic
Gene: UFSP2 Green List (high evidence)Green List (high evidence)
Additional cases identified in 100,000 Genomes project.Created: 29 May 2021, 10:40 a.m. | Last Modified: 29 May 2021, 10:40 a.m.
Panel Version: 0.3791
Mode of inheritance
BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal
Phenotypes
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 106, MIM# 620028; Abnormal muscle tone; Seizures; Global developmental delay; Delayed speech and language development; Intellectual disability; Strabismus
I don't know
Ni et al (2021 - PMID: 33473208) describe the phenotype of 8 children (belonging to 4 families - 2 of which consanguineous) homozygous for a UFSP2 missense variant [NM_018359.5:c.344T>A; p.(Val115Glu)].
Members of a broader consanguineous pedigree from Pakistan with 3 affected children with epilepsy and DD and ID underwent exome sequencing. All affected individuals were homozygous for the specific SNV with their parents (2 parent pairs, in both cases first cousins) being heterozygous. An unaffected sib was homozygous for the wt allele. Through genematching platforms 3 additional families with similarly affected individuals and homozygosity for the same variant were recruited. These additional families were from Pakistan (1/3) and Afganistan (2/3).
Based on ROH analysis from the broader first pedigree and an additional family the authors concluded on a single shared region of homozygosity on chr 4q. Lack of ES data did not allow verification of whether 2/4 families shared the same haplotype with the other 2.
The authors calculated the probability of the genotype-phenotype cosegragation occurring by chance (0.009) and this was lower than the recommended criterion (0.06) for strong evidence of pathogenicity.
Shared features included abnormal tone in most (hypotonia 6/8, limb hypertonia 1/8), seizures (8/8 - onset 2d - 7m), severe DD with speech delay/absent speech (8/8), ID (8/8), strabismus (6/8).
UFSP2 encodes UFM1-specific protease 2 involved in UFmylation, a post-translational protein modification. As summarized by the authors the cysteine protease encoded by this gene (as is also the case for UFSP1) cleaves UFM1 in the initial step of UFMylation. Apart from producing mature UFM1, the 2 proteases have also the ability to release UFM1 from UFMylated proteins, in the process of de-UFMylation. [several refs. provided]
UFMylation is important in brain development with mutations in genes encoding other components of the pathway reported in other NDD disorders (incl. UFM1, UBA5, UFC1).
Additional studies were carried to provide evidence for pathogenicity of this variant.
Skin biopsies from 3 individuals were carried out to establish fibroblast cultures. Immunoblotting revealed reduced UFSP2 levels relative to controls. mRNA levels measured by qRT-PCR revealed no differences compared to controls altogether suggesting normal mRNA but reduced protein stability.
The authors demonstrated increased levels of UFM1-conjugated proteins (incl. DDRGK1, or TRIP4). Ectopic expression of wt UFSP2 normalized the levels of UFMylated proteins in the fibroblasts which was not the case for the V115E variant. Further the variant was difficult to detect by immunoblotting consistent with an effect on protein destabilization.
Although disruption of UFMylation induces ER stress, this was not shown to occur in patient fibroblast lines, when assessed for ER stress markers.
Evaluation of data from the GTEx project, concerning UFSP2 as well as well as DDRGK1 or TRIP4 - an UFMylation target - revealed relevant expression in multiple regions of the human brain.
Overall the authors provide evidence for defective de-UFMylation in patient fibroblasts (presence of increased UFMylation marks). The authors stress out that the effect of the variant in UFMylation in brain is unknown, as UFSP1 or other enzymes might compensate in the presence of hypomorphic UFSP2 mutants.
**Monoallelic** (correction to previous review) UFSP2 variants have previously been reported in 2 skeletal dysplasias [# 142669. BEUKES HIP DYSPLASIA; BHD and # 617974. SPONDYLOEPIMETAPHYSEAL DYSPLASIA, DI ROCCO TYPE; SEMDDR]. These disorders are not characterized by neurological dysfunction or epilepsy. The authors underscore the fact that variants identified in these disorders (Y290H, D526A, H428R) localize within the C-terminal catalytic (peptidase) domain [aa 278 – 461] while the variant here identified lies in the N-terminal substrate binding domain affecting protein stability/abundance.
In OMIM, only the 2 aforementioned disorders are currently associated with biallelic UFSP2 mutations. There is no associated phenotype in G2P. SysID includes UFSP2 among the primary ID genes.
You may consider inclusion in the current panel with amber/green rating.
Sources: LiteratureCreated: 23 May 2021, 6:29 p.m. | Last Modified: 25 May 2021, 6:31 p.m.
Panel Version: 0.3786
Mode of inheritance
BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal
Phenotypes
Abnormal muscle tone; Seizures; Global developmental delay; Delayed speech and language development; Intellectual disability; Strabismus
Publications
Phenotypes for gene: UFSP2 were changed from Abnormal muscle tone; Seizures; Global developmental delay; Delayed speech and language development; Intellectual disability; Strabismus to Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 106, MIM# 620028; Abnormal muscle tone; Seizures; Global developmental delay; Delayed speech and language development; Intellectual disability; Strabismus
Gene: ufsp2 has been classified as Green List (High Evidence).
Gene: ufsp2 has been classified as Amber List (Moderate Evidence).
Tag founder tag was added to gene: UFSP2.
Gene: ufsp2 has been classified as Amber List (Moderate Evidence).
gene: UFSP2 was added gene: UFSP2 was added to Intellectual disability syndromic and non-syndromic. Sources: Literature Mode of inheritance for gene: UFSP2 was set to BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal Publications for gene: UFSP2 were set to 33473208 Phenotypes for gene: UFSP2 were set to Abnormal muscle tone; Seizures; Global developmental delay; Delayed speech and language development; Intellectual disability; Strabismus Penetrance for gene: UFSP2 were set to Complete Review for gene: UFSP2 was set to AMBER
If promoting or demoting a gene, please provide comments to justify a decision to move it.
Genes included in a Genomics England gene panel for a rare disease category (green list) should fit the criteria A-E outlined below.
These guidelines were developed as a combination of the ClinGen DEFINITIVE evidence for a causal role of the gene in the disease(a), and the Developmental Disorder Genotype-Phenotype (DDG2P) CONFIRMED DD Gene evidence level(b) (please see the original references provided below for full details). These help provide a guideline for expert reviewers when assessing whether a gene should be on the green or the red list of a panel.
A. There are plausible disease-causing mutations(i) within, affecting or encompassing an interpretable functional region(ii) of this gene identified in multiple (>3) unrelated cases/families with the phenotype(iii).
OR
B. There are plausible disease-causing mutations(i) within, affecting or encompassing cis-regulatory elements convincingly affecting the expression of a single gene identified in multiple (>3) unrelated cases/families with the phenotype(iii).
OR
C. As definitions A or B but in 2 or 3 unrelated cases/families with the phenotype, with the addition of convincing bioinformatic or functional evidence of causation e.g. known inborn error of metabolism with mutation in orthologous gene which is known to have the relevant deficient enzymatic activity in other species; existence of an animal model which recapitulates the human phenotype.
AND
D. Evidence indicates that disease-causing mutations follow a Mendelian pattern of causation appropriate for reporting in a diagnostic setting(iv).
AND
E. No convincing evidence exists or has emerged that contradicts the role of the gene in the specified phenotype.
(i)Plausible disease-causing mutations: Recurrent de novo mutations convincingly affecting gene function. Rare, fully-penetrant mutations - relevant genotype never, or very rarely, seen in controls. (ii) Interpretable functional region: ORF in protein coding genes miRNA stem or loop. (iii) Phenotype: the rare disease category, as described in the eligibility statement. (iv) Intermediate penetrance genes should not be included.
It’s assumed that loss-of-function variants in this gene can cause the disease/phenotype unless an exception to this rule is known. We would like to collect information regarding exceptions. An example exception is the PCSK9 gene, where loss-of-function variants are not relevant for a hypercholesterolemia phenotype as they are associated with increased LDL-cholesterol uptake via LDLR (PMID: 25911073).
If a curated set of known-pathogenic variants is available for this gene-phenotype, please contact us at panelapp@genomicsengland.co.uk
We classify loss-of-function variants as those with the following Sequence Ontology (SO) terms:
Term descriptions can be found on the PanelApp homepage and Ensembl.
If you are submitting this evaluation on behalf of a clinical laboratory please indicate whether you report variants in this gene as part of your current diagnostic practice by checking the box
Standardised terms were used to represent the gene-disease mode of inheritance, and were mapped to commonly used terms from the different sources. Below each of the terms is described, along with the equivalent commonly-used terms.
A variant on one allele of this gene can cause the disease, and imprinting has not been implicated.
A variant on the paternally-inherited allele of this gene can cause the disease, if the alternate allele is imprinted (function muted).
A variant on the maternally-inherited allele of this gene can cause the disease, if the alternate allele is imprinted (function muted).
A variant on one allele of this gene can cause the disease. This is the default used for autosomal dominant mode of inheritance where no knowledge of the imprinting status of the gene required to cause the disease is known. Mapped to the following commonly used terms from different sources: autosomal dominant, dominant, AD, DOMINANT.
A variant on both alleles of this gene is required to cause the disease. Mapped to the following commonly used terms from different sources: autosomal recessive, recessive, AR, RECESSIVE.
The disease can be caused by a variant on one or both alleles of this gene. Mapped to the following commonly used terms from different sources: autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant, recessive or dominant, AR/AD, AD/AR, DOMINANT/RECESSIVE, RECESSIVE/DOMINANT.
A variant on one allele of this gene can cause the disease, however a variant on both alleles of this gene can result in a more severe form of the disease/phenotype.
A variant in this gene can cause the disease in males as they have one X-chromosome allele, whereas a variant on both X-chromosome alleles is required to cause the disease in females. Mapped to the following commonly used term from different sources: X-linked recessive.
A variant in this gene can cause the disease in males as they have one X-chromosome allele. A variant on one allele of this gene may also cause the disease in females, though the disease/phenotype may be less severe and may have a later-onset than is seen in males. X-linked inactivation and mosaicism in different tissues complicate whether a female presents with the disease, and can change over their lifetime. This term is the default setting used for X-linked genes, where it is not known definitately whether females require a variant on each allele of this gene in order to be affected. Mapped to the following commonly used terms from different sources: X-linked dominant, x-linked, X-LINKED, X-linked.
The gene is in the mitochondrial genome and variants within this can cause this disease, maternally inherited. Mapped to the following commonly used term from different sources: Mitochondrial.
Mapped to the following commonly used terms from different sources: Unknown, NA, information not provided.
For example, if the mode of inheritance is digenic, please indicate this in the comments and which other gene is involved.